Light in the dark
by a blithe soul
Summary: He's the one to bring her out of her darkness, love blooms but things take a complicated turn with a third person between them.
1. The dead ring

The ring of the phone rang through the silence of the room, disturbing the peaceful slumber of two very exhausted and sleepy couple. Both of them stirred, but none of them attempted to receive the call, too tired for that. But the caller seems to be persistent, keeps on calling.

"Damon, would you please receive the call?" His girlfriend says in a tired and sleepy voice. A clearly aggravated Damon gets up, mutters slangs under his breath and finally receives the call.

"Hello!" He says in a tone filled with anger, irritation and exhaustion.

" Damon, its me, look I'm sorry but you guys got to come down to Mercy hospital"

"Stefan? What the hell ? What happened?" Damon half shouted, clearly alarmed by his tone.

"Look, I can't explain now, please just get here. Its Caroline"

Stefan begged.

Damon turned pale hearing that. What happened to Caroline ?

"What happened ? What did Stefan say ?" Elena half awake now.

"We need to go, something's happened to Caroline"

They rushed up to the stairs, towards the reception.

"Hey, can you please tell us in which room Caroline Forbes is ?

"Please, wait ." The receptionist says as she looks up in the computer screen.

Elena is holding Damon's arms tightly. Her face white and she is shaking, praying silently that nothing serious has happened to her best friend. Damon's face is white as well, he's fraught but is trying his best to remain calm and composed.

After what seemed like an eternity but actually was a minute,

The receptionist told them Caroline's room number and floor.

They were half running across the hospital corridors and they finally found her room, outside which they finds Stefan, crouched on the chair outside her room. His eyes were closed and it seemed like he was praying.

"Stefan, what happened to Caroline ?" Both Damon and Elena asked him together. He looked startled by their presence. He didn't say anything. But got up and hugged them both. They could feel his body shake violently as his breathes became rapid. He was crying.

For a moment, they were at a loss for words and to startled to ask any further questions. Gradually Stefan calmed down.

They were all quiet for a while. Elena looked through the glass portion of the door to Caroline's room. She was unconscious, she was breathing through an oxygen masks, her head was bandaged, they were tubes connected to her hands. They were doctors and nurses attendind to her. Same scribbling on note-pads, one taking her blood and one doctor was looking over her injuries. She seemed to be covere in wounds. They still didn't know what happened to her. Stefan couldn't talk.

Did they get into an accident ? But if so how come Stefan is perfectly fine whereas Caroline's in this condition. Elena turned to Stefan, her eyes red from crying.

"Stefan, please, tell us what happened?" Elena pleaded but her voice barely over whisper.

Both Stefan and Damon looked at her but Damon turned to look at Stefan. His eyes intense and held the same question.

" We don't even know why you left for Mystic Falls in such a hurry either" Damon says.

"4 or 5 days ago , Caroline called me…."

Flashback *

"_Hello, Care, is that you?" Stefan says happily. Its been ages since he last spoke to Caroline . _

"_Stefan!" Caroline was breathing rapidly and sobbing. _

"_Stefan, please help me!" She barely managed to say between sobs and hiccups._

"_Caroline ! What's wrong ? Why are you crying ?" Stefan asked his voice anxious._

"_Please, just come and get me bef.." She never finished her sentence,there was a loud cry, definitely Caroline's, a loud bang and then the phone got disconnected. He tried calling the number again. But no matter how many times he called it remained unreachable. _

_He threw his phone in anger. How the hell was he supposed to contact Caroline now ? Almost everyone he knows from mystic falls doesn't live there anymore. She called from Johns phone which was disconnected now . _

_He sighed in had to find out what was wrong with her and she asked him to go and get her. He had no other options he had to leave for Mystic Falls now. He grabbed a few of things and filled them in a bag. Both Damon and Elena were out, so he left a note and left._

_After 5 hours of driving he reached Mystic Falls, the place where all of them were born and raised. He went straight to the Gilbert house. Caroline and Elena were cousins. Both were orphans, living with their uncle John along with Elena's little brother Jeremy. Elena left with him last year after they finished high school and Jeremy left just a month ago when he finished school. They were all living in Richmond now. _

_Only Caroline stayed behind for John. John fell sick and Caroline stayed behind to take care of him._

_It was almost 3 in the morning. The whole house was dark. They must be asleep. He felt silly now. Did he just drive all the way to mystic falls because Caroline was crying on the phone ? It could have been anything. Maybe she was missing them or her parents, but that couldn't be it, She begged him to come and get her. Why would she say that ? Why did the phone get disconnected ? What could have happened ? These questions burned through him but he had to wait till the morning. So he went to the Salvatore boarding house._

_It felt good to be back after a long time. He took a cold shower and sat on his bed, leaning against a pillow. His mind occupied with questions and anxiety about Caroline._

_He didn't realize when he fell asleep. He was woken up with the bright sunlight hitting his face. Judging by the light it was pretty late in the morning . He got up . After breakfast he left for the Gilbert house._

_He rang the bells many times. After the fifth time, a panting John opened the door._

_His face lit taking in Stefan._

"_Stefan ! its good to see you. What a surprise !"_

"_Yeah, I was just here to meet Caroline."_

"_Oh, you know she had a little accident yesterday, fell from the stairs, she's in a bad shape and she's sleeping now after a long night yesterday. I don't think it's a good idea for you to disturb her now. Why don't you come back in the evening ?"_

_Stefan couldn't think of what to say . _

" _I , uh , .."_

"_You do understand her condition, don't you ? I'll call you when she wakes up"_

"_Okay, please call me as soon she's up" Stefan says. He leaves hesitantly. Something didn't feel right. But he went home anyway._

_Is that what happened ? She fell and that explained why she cried, the loud banging sound and the phone being disconnected but that didn't explain why she begged him to get her. He couldn't get to the bottom until he talked to her. He had to see her and talk to her. John looked fine now. Maybe he should take her back with him. Damon and Elena would be more than happy._

_He waited the whole evening that day for John's call. But he never called. Around 9 he decided that he's had enough and that he should go and check up on her. _

_But he was shocked when he reached the house. It was dark and no body opened the door when he rang the bell._

_Where the hell where John and Caroline ?_

_He didn't know why but he began to panic. Suddenly his phone rang. It was John._

"_Hey, Stefan , listen sorry I didn't call you before. Caroline got worse, so I took her to the hospital but the doctor here says that her condition's sort of complex and recommended a doctor from Roanoke, I'm taking her there."_

"_What ? What happened to her ?" Stefan asks frantically._

" _I , I don't know , she just started to cry out of pain and I took her to the doctor. Look, I'm on the road, so I'll talk to you when we get back." Saying this John hung up._

_Stefan stood there perplexed, frantic and skeptic. Something was definitely wrong. John was stuttering and sounded nervous._

_And if they were on the road why was it so quiet ?_

_He tried calling the number but it was switched off. He decided he was going to wait until they come back. He wont leave until he meets Caroline, sees her himself and talks to her._

_2 days passed. There were no words from John, no calls, his number was still unreachable, the Gilbert house was still empty and locked._

_He was almost going mad. Its been 4 days since he talked to Caroline, her voice so worried, helpless , pleading and desperate._

_He couldn't get it out of his mind. And then John's behavior, it was so mysterious and aberrant. Something didn't add up and it was eating Stefan up. It was almost getting dark. 2 and a half days gone and still no contact with John or Caroline. He wondered if he should go to the sheriff._

_But a banging on the door interrupted his thoughts. Some one was banging on his door incessantly. He ran and opened the door only to be shocked to see the sight before him._

_It was Caroline, her head was bleeding ,she was crying and shaking violently. Her hair messed up and her body was covered in bruises._

"_Care! What the hell happened ?" Stefan asks still shocked. He holds her and carries her inside and sits in the sofa with her._

"_You're wounds, we have to take you t the hospital now" He says , bolting up suddenly._

"_No!' She cries. "Its John, he'll find me, just take me away from here. Please, please!"_

"_John? What do you mean ? Care.."_

"_Stefan, lets just leave now. Before he finds me. Please ! Please!"_

_She begs him. He doesn't know how she's still conscious in this condition. But he doesn't question her further . He goes inside to get his things and comes back to find an unconscious Caroline lying on the sofa, still bleeding. He's scared out of his mind now._

"_No. no Care wake up, wake up." He shouts as he wraps a napkin around her head. He carries her to his car and starts the car. He contemplates on what to do. He couldn't just leave with her like this. But what happened to John ? She said it was John. Did John do that to her ? But how ? And she begged him not to take the hospital here._

_He looked at her, she was still unconscious but the bleeding had stopped. He decided on going to Richmond._

_Flashback ends*_

" And that's how we end up here" Stefan says in a low voice.

Both Elena and Damon to shocked to respond. But Damon recovers quickly and pulls Stefan by the collar and shouts angrily "Were you out of your mind? How the hell did you even think of driving her all the way to Richmond instead of taking her to Mystic Falls Hospital?"

"She begged me, and I didn't know what to do and I was afraid, and John, I had no idea what he did but what f tried to do that again , I couldn't think at that time, um sorry" Stefan says as he breaks down.

"John ? But why would John do this ? He's our uncle" Elena asks in a very low voice, her whole body was shivering.

"I don't know, I have no idea , I cant understand anything and I dint care, I just want Caroline to recover as fast as possible " Stefan says.

In that moment a doctor comes out of the room.

They corner him frantically , before they could ask the doctor starts talking.

"I'm assuming you're her family, look , her condition is very critical , she has many internal wounds along with the external ones, we are running tests right now trying to know the extent of injuries , we might have to call in an expert , you should have money ready , the treatment is going to be expensive"

"Money isn't a problem, call in as many experts as you need, just make sure she recovers properly" Damon says earnestly and urgently.

"Of course , we'll do our best but I should tell you that her head injury is pretty deep, pray that there's no internal bleeding because if it turns into a hemorrhage there's little any doctor will be able to do, the next 36 hours will be critical, we'll be able to say anything surely only if she makes it through these 36 hours, don't lose hope, just pray that she sustains through this time"

He says and excuses himself.

The trio stood there shocked, frightened and speechless. Never have they felt this weak and helpless.


	2. 38 hours in purgatory

38 hours, the longest 38 hours of their life. Time seemed to be at a standstill during this time, they were camped on the chairs in front of Caroline's room. Their faces pale, anxious , praying and frazzled . Each of them waiting anxiously for the doctors to come and say something to them . There were 3 doctors handling her case, each seemed to be running in and out of her room frequently with grave expressions. And each minute was like an eternity in purgatory for the group of five camped there. Yeah, the trio had become a group of five after the first 3 hours. Bonnie and Jeremy had stormed in immediately after hearing the news.

Finally a doctor came out and was headed towards them. They all jumped up and surrounded her.

All of them shooting questions at him simultaneously with wide awaiting eyes . He raised his hands and something about that gesture seemed so intimidating that they all went quite suddenly.

He spoke his voice gentle yet firm, " I'm Elijah Mikaelson, one of the doctors on the board in miss Forbes's case. She is out if danger right now, she is responding well to our treatments and hopefully she'll regain consciousness within a few hours. Her physical wounds will recover gradually but I suggest you start her therapy sessions with a psychiatrist a day or two after she recovers cause in a case like hers the mental wounds are the ones that scars one for life"

All of them look distraught and some-what puzzled. None of them know what happened to her, what the extent of her wounds were.

Elena asked the questions that was on everyone's mind.

"Doctor, what happened to her ? Why is she in such a state ?" She asked, scared of the answer she's about to get .

Elijah Mikaelson looks at her, confusion written all over his face.

"You don't know what happened to her ? What her wounds are from? Didn't Dr. Rider inform you ?"

"No one told us anything, they said that tests were being run and nothing could be said at the moment, do you know what its like to stand here waiting for my sister to wake up, to not know whats wrong with her, how she ended up like that and to live with the doubt that whether I'll ever be able to see her walking, breathing or smiling again?" Jeremy shouts, letting all the emotions he kept buried in for so long out.

Elijah frowns at the boy's sudden out-burst, but remains calm . Because despite his anger at the audacity of the young boy , he couldn't be rude to him or his family, because what they're about to learn is something no family deserves to face.

He clears his throat , and replies in a calm voice , "This seems like a case of domestic violence". Each of them gasp on shock, denial and incredulity.

Elijah continues, " She has several wounds all over her body, some old probably dating back to 3 weeks, give or take a few days, some very recent, like the wound on her head, that is pretty serious than we initially thought of it to be , and," He pauses after that to scrutinize each of their faces, they all still seem to be stupefied, appalled and perplexed, still trying to comprehend his words. He thought he needed to give them time for these to sink in, because what he's about to say next would be excruciating to any family.

"And what ?" Bonnie asks, her voice barely over a whisper, her tone clearly depicting fear and anxiety, she was fearful of the answer.

"There were signs of forced sexual activities" He said quietly, looking at their faces , all of them taken a back, the look on their faces was something he would never curse even upon his enemy, the pain, the anger, confusion, hurt , myriad emotions running through them as they stood staggered and aching, "But that happened only once we can say surely" He adds of his words didnt go missed, should they be happy that it happened only once or devastated that it happened at all ?

He hates this part of his job, the confrontation with a traumatized or dying or seriously ill patient's family.

"Look, I can imagine what you must be going through but your prime focus should now be on Miss Forbes, besides our treatment she need family support to get through and recover from this."

He dug into his pocket and took out a card, handing it over to Damon, who seemed to be the oldest among them to him.

"This is a card of a psychiatrist, he's an expert in such cases and I can personally assure Miss Forbes will be in good hands, I suggest you contact him, Doctor Rider will follow you through rest of the procedures, good day." Elijah says quietly and takes his leave.

Damon just shook his head, still comprehending Elijah's words, a dull ache in his heart which slowly seemed to be numbing him, shaking out of his stupor, he glanced at the card.

**Klaus Mikaelson**

**M.D, FRCP,FRC(psych).**

_**So, what do you guys think ? **_

_**Should I continue ? :/**_


	3. Interesting Introductions

_Klaus Mikaelson? Is that Elijah Mikaelson's brother? I should ask around see if this guy is actually as good as his brother said. _Damon thought to himself. He looked at the others, Bonnie , Elena and Jeremy all in tears, Stefan, where was Stefan ?

Whatever they heard a while ago was too much to take in. He's probably somewhere blowing steam. He took a deep breathe, the dull ache in his heart more prominent now. He looks the other way, as he feels his breathes become rapid and his vision becomes blurry. Rubbing his eyes, he decided to go look for Dr Klaus Mikaelson.

This was no time to be depressed. He had to pull it together, he's the only one who has to manage everything.

At that moment Dr Rider came out of Caroline's room.

"Mr Salvatore, Caroline's regained consciousness, she still drowsy because of the sedatives but will fully gain consciousness within 30 minutes, then you can see her" He says with smile. Damon gapes at the man and suddenly hugs him, all he manages to say is "Thank you". The others are crying tears of joy now, everyone excited to see Caroline.

Klaus Mikaelson's office was on the 7th floor, 3 floor above the floor Caroline was in. Damon had decided to look for the doctor before Caroline wakes up completely, the earlier her therapy starts the better. He asked around the nurses and other doctors, all appraising Klaus Mikaelson highly, on how he was so young but so talented and great at his work. Maybe this guy could really help Caroline get better. He knocked on his door and wondered if the doctor was in.

"Come in" a thick voice replied in response.

Damon got in, " Hi, I'm Damon Salvatore, Dr Elijah Mikaelson recommended you to us for my friend's case"

"Please take a sit Mr Salvatore, yes my brother spoke to me about the case, the Forbes case right ? Caroline Forbes?"

"Yeah, Caroline Forbes, so Dr Elijah filled you in all the details about her case?"

"Yes, if she regains her senses, we can start her sessions from tomorrow"

"Just a request though," Damon said hesitently looking at Klaus for permission to continue.

"Yes, go on" Klaus said.

"Caroline, she's independant, stubborn and assertive,she loves to take care of people, go out of the way and she's sensitive like that, we don't know how what happened to her happened or who did it, but we know she didn't go without a fight, I'm saying is, please don't treat her like just another patient, help her like your friend, because she is the type person who doesnt prefer being the damsel in distress , no offense , but getting a shrink will make her feel like she's dysfunctional, so please help her but like a friend" Damon requests Klaus earnestly, his eyes full of intensity which seemed to be begging for help for his friend.

_This man cares so much about a woman who is just a friend to him? She's one lucky woman to have people like that in her life,_Klaus thought.

"Don't worry Mr Salvatore, I'll keep your words in mind and try my best to help her as a friend". There was something so intense about the man's plea that Klaus felt the necessity to comply with his aberrant request.

"Thank you Mr Mikaelson" .

* * *

"Care," her soft voice calls, a voice she heard a long time ago, a voice she missed. Caroline looked at the owner of the voice, she still looked the same, beautiful brown hair and brown doe-eyes which were flooded in tears and thin pink lips which were curved into a small smile.

Caroline looked around, everone was there, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy and Damon, her whole family was in the room. She has seen them after a long time.

"Care, how do you feel now?" Stefan asks. He's standing nearest to her. He's green orbs depicting a mixture of happiness and dismay simultaneously.

"I feel ...okay" Caroline says, trying to figure out how she actually felt. Her body was sore in so many places, her head hurt badly and she felt a little dizzy,if not for the support of the bed and the pillow she wouldn't be up.

"Are you in pain?Should we call the doctor" he asks urgently.

"No, Stef, I'm fine, I just feel a little weird thats all"

"Like thats something new Barbie, we know you're always weird"Damon teases her.

"Damon, she's just got around and you've already started teasing her?" Elena chastises him despite laughing lightly at his words.

Caroline was smiling too.

"No, Elena its fine,believe it or not,I actually really missed Damon teasing me"

"Care, tell us , how did this happen ? You were fine when I left, tell me who did this and I swear to God, I'll kill him with bare hands" suddenly Jeremy asks leaving everyone stunned. He couldn't take it. Caroline , Elena and John were the only family he had left, seeing Caroline hurt like this and the whole John mystery thing was too much for him to handle. He was desperate for some answers and punish the one responsible for Caroline's condition. He was really glad that his sister regained her senses and was talking to them now but he needed answers , fast.

Caroline gaped at him, his sudden out-burst had surprised all. Suddenly the air in the room had shifted, though no one was happy about Jeremy's sudden inquisition but all of them were burning with the same questions. Eager eyes stared at Caroline , waiting for her answer.

Jeremy's words registered her mind. She tried to form an answer but fumbled through memories, so much had happened what should she tell them ? They know nothing. But what happened last ? What happened that she ended up here in this hospital ?

And suddenly her mind freezes, she's in the mystic falls hospital, and he, he could be coming in any moment. The ache in her head seemed to be throbbing hard now.

"John, John, he, he.." Caroline struggled to form words and blinked vision slowly turned black .

"She just regained her senses, asking patients about the accident can be fatal, she's not fully recovered yet, you shouldn't ask heavy questions like that, there methods to ask about those incidents, that is why she needs therapy, oh well, she is fine now, your questions seem to have created too much pressure in her and she fell unconscious " Dr Elijah explained.

"Is she up now ? Can we see her now?" Stefan asked anxiously.

"Well, she is asleep now, and we're starting her therapy sessions from tomorrow morning, you can meet her after that and please, don't pressurise her with questions about any incident that might trigger painfull memories for her, those memories need to be unlocked and handled carefully, which her pschiatrist will do." With that, Elijah started walking away but halted and turned to them, with a soft look in his face , he says "Maybe you should all go home, rest, you've been here for 3 days, she's fine now and safe" , giving them a reassuring smile, he turned to leave.

"Doctor!" Stefan called after him and Elijah stopped in his tracks. Stefan reached upto him and asked "How are her therapy sessions going to be? She's not in the position to go for them or talk about anything"

Elijah chuckled, " The doctor will go to her and as for how to handle her, the doctor knows how to get her to talk without her losing her senses, don't worry, we're doing our best and she is quite a fighter, she'll come through in no time"

"I hope so"

* * *

She opened her eyes slowly, light blinding her vision. She groans as she shuts her eyes due to the brightness and she is surprised when she hears a low chuckle.

She snaps her eyes open in response and looks for the source of the sound. Her eyes fall on the only other being in the room and she gasps. She's dead, she is.

What other explanation is there ? The room is unusually bright and beside her sat an adonis who could only be a God. Grayish blue eyes studying her with an amused expression, his pink full lips quirked into a smile as he ran his right hand through his sandy blonde hair as if to tame the messy curls. She looks at his clothes and realises he's a looks around the room and realises its her hospital room and she laughs to herself about her idiotic theory.

"Whats so funny, love? Care to share?" The man says with a thick british accent.

"Nothing" She says with a smile. She wonders if its normal to wake up to find a doctor sitting beside you like that.

"Is it normal for doctors to sit beside patients while they sleep or are you just creepy?" She asks.

He laughs again. She frowns, she was being serious. He doesn't answer her, instead questions her.

"So how are you feeling now?".

His questions brings her back to reality, and realises that her head still ached. She looks over at her hands , there were bruises all over. Seeing them , brings back painfull memories , ones that'll probably haunt her forever.

She feels a familiar sensation of pain and dismay surge through her but controls her-self. She is not crying or showing fear infront of a random forces a smile and answers him, "I am fine, though I have a slight pain in my head not to mention so hungry that I could probably eat a cow" She says.

He laughs at her joke and admires her strength. He almost felt guilty for asking her how she was feeling, after seeing her reaction to such a simple question. He knows all about what happened to her. The girl went through hell and despite all that she's trying to push past all that and is trying her best to put on a brave face. _She's a fighter,_Elijah had said. He was right. She had a smile in her face, but her eyes, her beautiful azure eyes reflected the pain she felt. And those eyes, they affeccted him some how.

"That's great. Don't worry, its still very early, you're breakfast must be coming here any moment."

"Thats good. I'm Caroline by the way, but I guess you know that, will you be telling me your name or should I just call you creepy doctor?"

"I'm extremely sorry,Klaus Mikaelson,creepy doctor at your service" he quips.

"Okay, not to be rude or anything but what are you doing here?"

"Checking by a patient"

" Do you always check on patients when they're asleep?"

"Only when they look as beautiful as you"

Words flew out of his mouth before he could stop, causing her to lightly blush and him to mentally scoff.

"Thats a first then"

But her quick answer eases the semi-awkward situation building up and they both burst out laughing.

Just then there's a knock on the door. A nurse comes in with her breakfast, prepares to feed her.

" I'l feed her" a voice from the door stops the nurse while they all stand to look at the blonde haired green eyed man.

"Stefan!" Caroline says ecstatically.

"Klaus meet Stefan my best friend and Stefan, this is Dr. Klaus Mikaelson"

* * *

_So, reviews ? _

_I've been out of my writing spirits beacause of all the dramas affecting klaroline , so here it is, forgive me if its not upto the mark and feel free to express your views :-)_


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